Near-field magnetic wireless communications utilize non-propagating magnetic induction to create magnetic fields for transmitting and receiving as opposed to conventional radio frequency (RF) communications that create time varying electric fields. Other distinctions include the fact that magnetic induction creates a field constrained to a three dimensional geometry (typically sphere-like) approximately 1 to 3 meters in diameter. RF fields are virtually unbounded, tending to decrease in intensity as the square of the distance from the transmitting antenna. In contrast, magnetic fields decrease as the cube of the distance from the transmitting antenna in typical media such as air, vacuum, and the like. Furthermore, magnetic wireless communication does not suffer from the nulls and fades or interference or that often accompanies RF communications.
The foregoing characteristics of magnetic communications provide for a level of security that conventional RF systems do not provide. An RF system allows anyone with a receiver capable of tuning into the bandwidth to theoretically tap into the transmission because RF systems transmit well beyond physical boundaries established by most enclosures. The exception is when enclosures are designed to contain the RF, such as specially constructed screen rooms. On the other hand, magnetic communications retain transmission/reception reliability in the presence of most physical obstacles. It is therefore desirable to exploit features of magnetic communications to create short range wireless communications for devices such as headphone connections to personal listening devices, data transfer within vehicles, such as automobiles, ships, aircraft, tanks, and inside space borne satellites where the wireless signal must remain contained in a vicinity for added security. It is desirable to create and produce a high speed communication system for short-range wireless local area network (WLAN) applications.